Member-Contributed Guide

Introduction

Note: The author of this guide has archived this guide due to the age of the iPhone 4 and part costs. It may still be useful if you need to check an intact phone but if you find the phone has a problem it's cheaper to buy a replacement phone rather then fix it for the most part. On top of this, the iPhone 4 is more or less tired.

Are you concerned your iPhone 4 may have a bulged battery after many years of use? Here are some basic ways you can see, short of opening the phone.

Plug the iPhone into a compatible iPod dock or charger with 30-pin cable. If you do not find the phone turns on in a reasonable amount of time, you may want to supervise the phone. If the phone still has problems, further inspection is required.

If your phone feels "bubbled", the battery may explode. Stop the tests and replace the battery. Continuing beyond this point runs the risk of the phone exploding.

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Plug the phone into a computer and see how it responds. If the phone works on a computer but not a charger the battery is shot. At this point, it's a matter of checking if the phone has a bulged battery or not.

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Put the phone on a flat table. Check if the display has a bump. If the display has a bump, it's safe to assume you may need a new battery. The battery is on the right side of the phone, so focus on this side of the phone. You may not notice this if you do not know what to look for. You need a keen eye to notice this unless it is obvious.

If you still are not sure, spin the phone on a table to see how bulged it is. If the phone spins without stopping quickly, the battery is bulged. Light bulges may cause the phone to be unstable, but it is not as likely to spin or show as a bulge on the LCD.

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This should be simple. Press down on the LCD on the right side of the phone. If the phone feels like it has a soft area, the phone needs to be taken apart for inspection. Phones that do not have a bulge on the battery side of the phone are probably fine. However, it may still be a good idea to open the phone to be sure.

Do not use too much pressure for this. Using too much pressure can damage the LCD. If you break the display, it usually ends up costing more then a replacement display. Breaking it is basically a death sentence to the phone.

Resources

Repairability

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